Gilberts Grave fossils and fossil collecting |
Fairly High
This site is extremely rich in the Clypeus echinoids, as well as brachiopods. There are two very good exposures that have been cleared in recent years, giving opportunity to make plenty of finds from the fallen blocks and scree slopes.
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Suitable for Children
The walk is suitable for children, but they must be kept away from the very steep sides of the railway embankment on walk to the cutting. |
Good Access
The site has good access with a fairly short walk. There is however limited parking for just one or two cars and the ‘Tunway Gate’ is not marked on any maps other than the OS 1:25,000 scale. The footpath is also not marked. To the North West of Chedworth woods, you will see where the road crosses the old disused railway, and it is here that the trackway starts. |
Old railway cutting
Fossils are found in the banks of this disused railway cutting. The sides of the cutting are inferior oolite and particularly rich in echinoids. |
SSSI
No Hammering Bedrock
Although there are no restrictions at this location, to preserve this site for future generations, hammering the bedrock is not permitted, you can hammer and collect from the loose rocks and scree. |
This site is generally quite safe, although common sense when collecting at all locations should be taken. When walking down the old railway route, and over the embankment, this has very steep sides, which is also very deep. Please keep well away from the edges at all time, and if bringing children, walk with at all times until you reach the safer cutting area. |
| Last updated: |
2010 |
| last visited: |
2010 |
| Written by: |
Alister and Alison Cruickshanks |
Locations similar to Gilberts Grave
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A pick is handy to clear the cutting sides and a knife handy to remove debris around fossils. A hammer can also be taken to split any lumps of Oolite up into smaller fragments. Wrap fossils well and place into small bags or containers. The Echinoid Clypeus can be particularly fragile.
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This disused railway cutting has cut through the inferior oolite and of particular interest is the Clypeus Grit bed, which is a layer of softer material in which the large flat echinoids can be found. In recent years, the exposures have been cleared as several years ago, they were overgrown. These new faces give excellent opportunity to collect plenty of fossils again. There is also plenty of blocks to look at in the scree slopes.
The most productive beds are that from the upper cutting, where the oolite is much softer. Most of the echinoids will have the shells damaged, although the internal mould still shows great detail. If you are luckily enough, you will find one with the shell intact. Echinoids with their shells complete can be found, but are much less common.
Brachiopods can also be found in the lower beds, and these are of superb condition. They can be easily found, and also be collected from the scree slopes.
Clypeus grit bed
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Jurassic, 175mya |
The Inferior Oolite at Gilberts Grave is found along the banks of the old disused railway line. It is just one bed, the Clypeus Grit bed, named as it is full of the Clypeus echinoids. This is part of the Salperton Limestone Formation
The Salperton Limestone Formation is a pale grey to brown rubbly, fine- to coarse-grained ooidal, peloidal and finely shell-detrital packstone to grainstone (Clypeus Grit Member), generally with very shelly and coarsely shell-detrital ooidal grainstone and packstone (Upper Trigonia Grit Member) at base. ...[more]
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Stone Tumblers |
Microscopes |
Geology Tools |
If you are interested in fossil collecting, then you may also be interested in a stone tumbler (Lapidary). You can polish stones and rocks from the beach which
will look fantastic polished using a stone tumbler.
You can polish rough rock and beach glass whilst collecting fossils, on those days where you come back empty handed.
These are all high quality machines to give a professional finish to your samples. They can even be used for amber and fossils. |
At most locations, you can find microfossils. You only need a small sample of the sand. You then need to wash it in water and sieve using a test sieve. Once the sand is processed, you can then view the contents using a microscope.
We have a wide range of microscopes for sale, you will need a Stereomicroscope for viewing microfossils. The best one we sell is the IMXZ, but a basic microscope will be fine. Once you have found microfossils, you will need to store these microfossils.
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UKGE, market leaders in Geological Supplies and Geology Equipment. We supply retail, education, wholesale and trade in the UK, Europe and beyond.
With our wide range of geological hammers and geological picks as well as fossil tools, starter packs and geological chisels.
UKGE is your geological superstore, selling a wide range of field equipment, rocks, minerals, fossils, geological and even microscopy! |
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Gilbert's Grave is a small cutting in the Chedworth woods. From the A40, take the minor road to Compton Abdale, continue heading south until you reach the crossroads. Here, continue up the road straight ahead until you cross over the old railway bridge. 
